M. R. James (1862 to1936) was an English author and a medievalist scholar. He was the provost of King's College, Cambridge from 1905 to 1918, and of Eton College from 1918 to 1936. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1913-15. Though James's scholarly work is still highly regarded, he is best remembered for his ghost stories, which redefined the genre for the 20th century.